n 1  :  a written summary of the key points esp. of a scientific paper  2  :  a pharmaceutical preparation made by mixing a powdered solid extract of a vegetable substance with lactose in such proportions that one part of the final product represents two parts of the original drug from which the extract was made
vt :  to make an abstract of ab*strac*tor or  ab*stract*er  n 
 
 
 
Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  © 1997-2024.